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think; but when you do the math, you realize that’s almost $7. Similarly, postlunch
puffing on a grape-flavored shisha, or water pipe, at seaside Lebanese eatery Burj Al
Hamam ran $15 a pop.
But Kuwait offers very interesting diversions that are inexpensive or free, as well. A
ride up to the revolving “viewing sphere”
of the iconic Kuwait Towers (600-plus
feet high and nearly blasted to bits by an
invading Saddam Hussein in 1990) costs
just 1 dinar. Wandering the spice, produce,
souvenir and clothing stalls of the labyrinthine Old Souk by the Grand Mosque, is, of
course, free. Until, that is, you succumb to
the charm of its shopkeepers.
And then there’s always people-watching
along the verdant, waterfront Corniche,
where most passersby sport traditional Kuwaiti dress: white dishdashas, sandals and
checkerboard headscarves for gentlemen;
black cloaks, or abayas, and in many cases
veils for the ladies, all accessorized with the
latest designer sunglasses and jewelry, to be
sure.
Asked to list his own favorite recommen-
dations, the Hotel Missoni’s Gadet pointed to
the Hashimi Dhow, a large traditional fishing
vessel and “must-see” that’s in the Guinness
Book of World Records; Failaka Island, home
to Greek ruins dating to the time of Alexander
the Great; and “a number of fantastic shop-
ping malls that rival those in Dubai.”
All or most of these attractions and ac-
tivities are included in itineraries offered
by local operators such as Kuwait Tourism
Services and foreign outfits like Adventures
Abroad. Highlights of the latter’s Kuwait
program include the fascinating Tareq Ra-
jab Museum, a private collection housed in
a villa that includes thousands of examples
of calligraphy; pottery; metalwork; glass-
ware; textiles; costumes; musical instru-
ments; and wood, ivory and jade carvings
from across the Islamic world.
There’s also the awkwardly named Kuwait
House of National Works Memorial Museum, which documents the Iraqi invasion and
KUWAIT
Continued from Page 21
Kuwait City
boasts several world-
class, luxury indoor shopping
centers, such as 360, Sharq Mall
and, above, the Avenues; left, a tra-
ditional minaret in downtown Kuwait
City finds a hypermodern echo in the
more distant, 1,220-foot Liberation
Tower telecommunications
spire, opened in 1993.
its aftermath with an alternately winning
and harrowing set of dioramas, photos and
artifacts, accompanied by dramatic lighting
effects and audio commentary. It was at the
memorial museum that I had my first encounter with a unique Kuwaiti cultural phenomenon, the diwaniya, which could, in the
opinion of the experts, hold great appeal for
tourists in search of experiential travel and
authentic cultural encounters.
After my tour of the museum, I was invited, to my surprise and confusion, to take
a seat in a special sofa-lined room, where I
was served a choice of coffee, tea or lemonade and the museum director engaged me
in polite conversation.
Gadet later explained that “Kuwaitis in
particular have a very honest and genuine
way of inviting you into their homes. The
diwaniya is a kind of meeting place where
you gather in a room with a sofa, or divan,
to socialize.”
Every Kuwaiti family hosts a diwaniya
two or three times a week, and anybody is
invited. “You can walk in not even knowing
the hosts, uninvited, and you will be wel-
come to drinks and snacks and have
a nice conversation,” he explained. At
the end of my stay, I was treated to a
longer diwaniya, by the Marafie clan,
owners of both the Hotel Missoni and
the Radisson Blu. Upon leaving two
hours later, I was gifted with bags of
hand-packed dates from the family
orchard.
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